Seed harvesting machine



Deco 1935. J. G. PEPPARD, JR 3 97 SEED HARVESTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 27, 1934 M 5 AMI/Illf-wm5 INVENTOR Joseph G K ppa/dd? Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,022,779 SEED HARVESTING MACHINE Joseph G. Peppard, Jr., Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Peppard Seed Company, Kansas City, Mo., a

corporation of Missouri Application September 27, 1934, Serial No. 745,715 13 Claims- (Cl. 56126) This invention relates to seed harvesting machines and more particularly to those of the stripper type, and has for its principal object to provide for harvesting Lespedeza and similar 5 seed crops which grow in close proximity'to the ground.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a strong, rigid machine construction that is of light weight and draft, and that can be readily adjusted to the height of the crop, and to provide for initial separation of the seed from dirt, chaff, plant foliage and other foreign matter.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have pro- 15 vided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of aharvesting machine particularly adapted for harvesting Lespe- 20 deza seed, and embodying the improvements of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of one 25 of the conveyor slats and one of its operating chains.

Fig. 4 is a section through the lower end of the riddle screen particularly illustrating the relativesizes of screen apertures through which the dirt 30 and seed are respectively discharged.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view particularly illustrating the method of reinforcing the. outer rear corner of the frame. Y

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the bracket 35 carrying the outer wheel.

Referring more in detail'to the drawing:

l designates the main frame of the mace which includes transverse front and rear 2 bars 2 and 3 arranged so that their upper flanges ex- 40 tend -outwardly to support longitudinal frame members t, 5, t, l and 8. The longitudinal frame members are preferably of channel shape and have their lower flanges 9.1'estlng on and secured to the upper flanges of the 2 bars by suitable fast-=' ening means such as bolts it. The longitudinal members l and 5 are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the swath to be stripped and have beveled forward ends projecting beyond the front 2 bar to form dividing means ii and it at 50 the sides of the swath. The next adjacent mem bers t and l also project forwardly of the frame and are curved upwardly at their ends to pivotally mount a draft tongue. l3 therebetween by which the machine is drawn over a field of Lespedeza or 55 similar crop. The longitudinal members l and d filler block mount axle bearings I 4 and i5 which are spaced therefrom by spacing blocks l6. Mounted in the bearings is an axle shaft I! carrying a main wheel The longitudinal member 4 at the opposite side of the frame carries a wheel bracket l9 having an axle rotatably mounting a wheel 2i. The wheel 2i cooperates with the main wheel in .pivotally supporting the frame in such a manner openings and through a corresponding pair of openings in the channel.

In order to raise the pivotal axis of the frame in compensating for different height crops, the spacing block it may be removed and the bear- 20 ings it and i5 attached directly to the channels '8 and d. The opposite side of the frame is correspondingly raised by removing the bolts from the openings M and reinserting them so that, they pass through the pair of openings 23 as shown in 25 Fig. 6. When the wheel bracket is thus adjusted, the axis of the axle 2t realigns with the adjusted position of the axle shaft Ill so that the frame again pivots in a horizontal plane, but at a higher level. Owing to the fact that the wheel bracket 22 is attached to and carried solely by the channel d, thereis a tendency for the channel to tip .or twist on. the 2 bars. To overcome this tendency, a

it is insertedbetween the flanges thereof at the 2 bar 3 and a U shaped brace 21? having legs 2t is positioned so that the ends of the legs overlap respectively the upper flange of the channel d and the under face of the outwardly projecting flange of the 2, bar. The bolt id is then inserted through the legs of the brace and through corresponding openings in the flanges and filler block, as shown in Fig. 5. v

The filler block thus prevents twisting of the channel in one direction, while the brace memher prevents twisting in the opposite direction to thereby substantially 'stilfen the mounting of the wheel and enhance the rigidity of the frame.

' The seed harvesting mechanism is mounted directly on the channels 41 and 5 andincludes a stripping cylinder 29, a stripping bar it and a separating mechanism mounted in a housing 3| at the rear of the cylinder, as now to be described. The cylinder 29 includes a drum 32 7 having a plurality of rows of radial teeth 33 protill ' wardly and rearwardly jectirg from the periphery thereof as shown in Fig. i. The cylinder also includes spokes 3t: connecting the drum thereof with axial hubs fill that mount a horizontal shaft 36 having, its ends rotatably mounted in bearings 3i and 38 fixed to the forward projecting ends of the longitudinal frame members 1 and ii. The teeth are preferably of flexible nature in order to prevent breaking or bending thereof in case they should strike an obstruction in the field. Flexibility of the teeth also promotes a whip like action in helping to extract the seed. In order to rotate the cylinder the main wheel carries a ring gear 39 which drives a pinion gear that is fixed to a jack shaft it, the jack shaft being mounted in bearings All fixed to the longitudinal frame members ii and 8 respectively as shown in Fig; 1. To complete the drive, the jack shaft carries a sprocket wheel t2 driving an aligning sprocket 13 on the outer projecting end of the cylinder shaft 36 by means of a chain it operating over the respective sprockets.

The stripping bar 36 includes a plate 35 having its rear edge attached to .the forwardly projecting flange of the 2 bar 2 and its forward edge projecting substantially to a vertical plane pass- .ing through the axis of the cylinder and in close proximity to the ends of the cylinder teeth 33.

The forward edge of the plate is bent retractively as at fit to form a round nose for a sled like shoe ill and to prevent cutting on of the Lespedeza plants as the machine is drawn across the field.

The sled like shoe preferably includes a triangular shaped strip dt filling the angle between the. stripper bar id and the web oftheZ bar 2 and having a flat under surface dd to e gage the ground, as shown in Fig. 2.

The stripping structure thus describ d is particularly adapted to harvestingseed of Lespedeza and similar plants where the seed formation is low on the plant, stripping bar and cylinder are mounted to move closely over the ground and it is, therefore, possible to harvest substantiallyall of the seed on the plants. I

After the seed has been stripped from the plants, the seed along with plant foliage and foreign matter is discharged through centrifugal force generated by the rotating cylinder into the separating housing Ell, now to be described. The housing includes a floor til that is supported on the lnturned flanges of the Z bars 2 and and side walls at and til which project upwardly from the longitudinal frame members to a point above the stripping cylinder. The front upper half of the box shaped housing formed by the floor and side walls is closed by cross board 53 having its ends resting on and fixed to the upper edges of the side walls and to which is hinged a door at through which access is had to the separating mechanism. The rear side of is left open to provide an opening through which the seed is removed as later described.

Mounted within the housing between upinclined side boards fit and all is a similarly inclined riddle screen 5% that is supported on a frame as. The side boards are connected at their upper ends by a board W, as shown. Rotata'oly mounted in the respective ends of the side boards are upper and lower conveyor shafts "6i and d2 carrying pairs ofsprockets til and M that are mounted thereon in close relation with the inner faces of the boards 5t and til;

,member t3 the cylinder as shown.

for the reason that the the housing Operating over aligning acaavva sprockets of the pairs are chains' carrying slats tit that move upwardly over the upper surface of the riddle screen on the lower run of the chains and downwardly in spaced relation with the screen on the upper run of the chains.

Carried within the housing between the run of the chains is an inclined baffle (if that extends completely across the width thereof and has its lower end spaced from the bottom of a trough in which the lower sprockets 83d operate, while the upper edge lid of the baffle terminates in substantial alignment with the top of p The trough member 68 has its front edge connected with the stripper plate til by an upwardly curved plate portion 10 so that the Lespedeza discharged by the cylinder is deflected upwardlythereby onto the inclined bafiie fill and away from the trough. The Lespedeza upon striking the bafiie is engaged by the conveyor slats and carried thereby back toward the trough to be carried'upwardly across the riddle screen. i i

This material includes most of the seed, dirt and the heavier parts of the foliage being more easily blown by the centrifugal force and blasting effect generated by the rotating toothed cylinder 2d. The lighter foliage will be cast across the top of the baffle but will be deflected downwardly toward the lower run of the riddle screen are small enough to prevent passage therethrough 4c of the Lespedeza seed, but which are of such size as to freely pass the dirt. Upon dropping through the apertures, the dirt is collected in a compartment if, which is formed by a partition l l extending across the housing between the floor 45 and riddle screen 5%, as shown in Fig. 2. The dirt is sifted from the compartment during movement of the machine through openings 15 extending through the floor 5d.

The Lespedeza seed and foliage matter being 5 then comparatively free of the dirt, are car.- ried over the upper portion of the riddle screen which is provided with apertures 16 large enough to pass the seed, but most of the foliage.

In order to assist in passage of the seed through the apertures of the riddle screen, the conveyor slats are provided with flexible strips ll which move in wiping contact with the riddle screen of such a size as to exclude surface to press the seeds through the apertures 60 The seed, upon passing through the riddle screen is collected in a seed compartment 18 formed in the housing between the partition and. a rearwardly inclined end board the bottom of the opening 55. The opening 55 to the seed compartment is normally closed by a drop curtain 80 tacked across the bar 8| at the rear edge of the riddle screen support 59 wardlyon the inner side of the end board, the

the screen in position. foliage discharged of! bar or the like 82 to hold To assure that the waste 19 located at 55 and which has its lower end extending downthe riddle screen is kept from falling into the T6 ,to be stripped from the seed compartment, I provide a second drop curtain having its lower end 84- suspended on the outer side of the end board 19 as shown to prevent material from droppingbetween the inner curtain and the board 19.

In order to-drive the conveyor, the jack shaft 40 carries a sprocket 86 aligning with a similar sprocket 85 on the projecting end 81 of the upper conveyor shaft BI and operating over the sprockets is a drive chain 88.

The cylinder may be moved to and from the ground by tipping the frame I on the axis of the wheels l8 and 2| as pointed out by means of a lever 89 which is fulcrumed on the frame by means of a bracket 90 and which has the operating end thereof projecting toward an operators seat 9| located in the rear of the main wheel IS. The forward end 92 of the lever connects with suitable linkage 93 with the tongue l3. Thus, by depressing the operating end of the lever 89, the front of theframe is lowered and by raising the lever, the frame is correspondingly raised.

In operating a machine constructed and assembled as described, a suitable draft is applied to the tongue l3 that hauls the machine over a field of Lespedeza or other crop. The operating lever 89 is then adjusted so that the shoe- 41 rides in close proximity to the ground as shown in Fig. 2. Upon forward movement of the machine, the main wheel 18 operates the jack shaft 4% through the ring and 39. Rotation of the jack shaft effects rotation of the cylinder 29 in an anti-clockwise direction, Fig. 2, through the sprocket and chain drive from the jack shaft til. The conveyor is also operated to move over the riddle screen by means of the chain 88 and sprockets 85 and 85.

As the machine is-nioved along the ground, teeth 33 engage the Lespedeza plantsto draw them toward the stripping bar causing the seeds plants and discharged underthe centrifugal force generated by the cylinder onto the baiile 61. During stripping of the seed and due to the fact that the machine is moved in close relation to the ground, much ever, the dirt dirt and foliage is dischargedwith the seed; howis readily removed as soon as the slats carry the material over the fine apertures 72 of the screen, the dirt falling through the apertures into the compartment 13.

The Lespedeza, being relieved of the dirt, continues on up the riddle screen to drop through the larger openings "it under pressure of the wiping strips ll. being unable to pass under the openings, are carried by the wiping strips off the upper end of the riddle for discharge over the drop curtains and dd.

Some of the small parts of the foliage will, of

riously contaminate removed insubsequent cleaning at a central plant.

When the seed compartment has been filled substantially to the level of the end board'iu, the curtains are drawn back over the board 60 and the seed is removed through the opening 55.

pinion gears 1 Thelarger foliage and sti?ks' ually sifts through the openings in the floor 50 for return to the field.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a machine which is readily adapted to harvesting Lespedeza seed and which effectively removes the dirt and majority of foreign matter therefrom. 7

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support, a stripper bar carried in front of the separator housing, a stripstripping and discharging seed into the separator housmg carried by the support, a stripper bar carried in front of the separator housing, a stripder in cooperative relation with the stripping bar and discharging seed into the sepathe stripping cylinder, a conveyor mounted on the mobile support for moving the seed over the riddle screen, and a partition extending across the housing below the riddle screen and between the groups of apertures for dividing the housing into chambers to receive the foreign material and seed respectively. course, drop into the seed collecting compartment along with the seed; however, this does not sethe seed, since it is readily 4. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support, a stripper bar carried in front of the separator housing, a stripping cylinder, means mounted on the mobile support for rotatably supporting the stripping cylinder in cooperative relation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed into the separator housing, an upwardly inclined riddle screen ing the seed over the riddle screen, and flexible into the separator housing,

strips on the slats oi the conveyor for pressing the seed and foreign. material. through the re spective apertures.

5. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support, a stripper bar in front of the separator housing, a stripping cylin der, means mounted on the support for rotatably mounting the stripping cylinder incooperative relation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed into the separator housing, a riddle screen in the housing for separating seed. from foreign material, a slat conveyor mounted on the support having a lower run operating over the riddle screen to move the seed through the apertures of the screen and to carry plant foliage from the separator housing and having an upp r run moving in spaced relation to the riddle screen, and a baiiie supported under the upper run of the conveyor for retaining the seed and plant foliage discharged from the stripping cylinder for movement by the conveyor across said riddle screen.

6. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support and having open front and rear sides, a stripper bar carried below the open front side of the housing, a stripping cylinder, means mounted on the support for rotatably mounting the stripping cylinder in the front opening in cooperative relation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed into the separator housing, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined riddle screen in the housing for separating seed from the foreign material, a conveyor mounted on the support for moving the seed over the riddle screen, and a drop curtain depending below the rear edge of the riddle screen for closing the rear opening of the housing.

'71. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support and having open front and rear sides, a stripper bar carried below the open front side of the housing, a stripping cylinder, means mounted on the support for rotatably mounting the stripping cylinder in the front opening in cooperative relation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed an upwardly and rearwardly inclined riddle screen in the housing for separating seed from the foreign material, a conveyor mounted on the support for moving the seed over the riddle screen, an end board at the bottom of the rear opening, a curtain depending below the rear edge of the riddle screen for closing the rear opening of the housing and having its lower end located at the inner side of said end board, and a second drop curtain overlapping the outer side of the end board.

8. A harvester for seed crops including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the sup port and having outlet openings in the bottom thereof, a stripper bar in front of the separator housing, a stripping cylinder, means mounted on the support for rotatably mounting the stripping cylinder in cooperative relation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed into the separator housing, an inclined riddle screen in the housing having a group of apertures oi smaller size than the seed and located in line with the opening, of the housing for removing dirt from the seeds and having a second group of openings to pass the seed, a slat conveyor mounted on the support having a lower run operating over the riddle screen to move the dirt and seed through the respective apertures oi the screen acaavve and to carry plant foliage from the separator housing and having an upper run moving in spaced relation to the riddle screen, and a baiile supported under the upper run oi the conveyor for retaining the seed discharged from the strip- 5 ping cylinder for movement by the conveyor across said riddle screen.

9. A harvester for seed crops including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support and having open front and rear sides, seed w stripping means mounted in the open front of the housing for stripping and discharging seed into the separator housing, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined riddle screen in the housing for separating seed from the foreign material, a con- 5 veyor mounted on the; support and braced by the separator housing for moving the seed over the riddle screen, and a curtain supported by and depending below the upper end of the riddle screen for closing the rear opening of the housing.

ill. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support, a stripper bar carried in front of the separator housing, a cylinder having flexible teeth, means mounted on the 25 support for rotatably mounting the cylinder in cooperating relation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed into the separator housing, an upwardly inclined riddle screen in the housing, and an endless conveyor mounted so on the support within the housing in substantial alignment with the riddle screen and movable downwardly in a direction opposite to rotation of the cylinder for reversing movement of the seed discharged from the teeth of then upwardly for moving the seed over the screen.

ll. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carried by the support, a stripper bar 0 carried in front of the separator housing, a stripping cylinder, means mounted on the support for rotatably supporting the stripping cylinder in cooperative relation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed into the separator 45 housing, an upwardly inclined riddle screen supported in the housing and having upper and lower groups of apertures of difierent size for separating the seed and foreign material from plant foliage removed by the stripping cylinder, 50 and a conveyor mounted on the support and having flexible wiping strips for moving the seed over the riddle screen and passing the seed and foreign material through the respective groups of apertures.

12. A harvester for seed crops of the character described including a mobile support, a separator housing carriedby the support, a stripper bar infront of the separator housing, a stripping cylinder, means mounted on the support .for rotatably 60 mounting the stripping cylinder in cooperativerelation with the stripping bar for stripping and discharging seed into the separator housing, a riddle screen in the housing for separating seed from foreign material, a slat conveyor mounted 65 on the support having a lower run operating over the riddle screen to move the seed through the apertures of the screen and to carry plant foliage from the separator housing and having an upper run moving in spaced relation to the riddle screen, a baflle supported under the upper run of the conveyor for retaining the seed and plant foliage discharged from the stripping cylinder for movement by the conveyor across said riddle screen, and a cross bar above the bemothe cylinder and 35 and supported between the runs 01' the conveyor for deflecting foliage downwardly from the cross bar which has been cast over the baflle by the rotating action of the stripping cylinder.

13. A harvester for seed crops including a mobile support, a separator housing on the support, a stripping cylinder carried on the support for stripping and centrifugally discharging the seed material into the separator housing, a screen 1 supported in the separator housing, a slatted con- 

